Cowboys would be wise to re-sign veteran that kept getting better and better during 2023 NFL season
Cornerback is a deceiving position when studying the outlook of the Dallas Cowboys ahead of the 2024 offseason. It's mostly perceived as a strength and the reason why isn't rocket science. Stephon Gilmore and DaRon Bland balled out in the absence of Trevon Diggs, who will be making a return after tearing his ACL early […]
Cornerback is a deceiving position when studying the outlook of the Dallas Cowboys ahead of the 2024 offseason.
It's mostly perceived as a strength and the reason why isn't rocket science. Stephon Gilmore and DaRon Bland balled out in the absence of Trevon Diggs, who will be making a return after tearing his ACL early last season.
However, it isn't that simple: Diggs should come back healthy but you never know how long it takes players to be at 100% after knee injuries. Gilmore is set to hit free agency and he won't be particularly cheap. But that's not all.
Additionally, the Cowboys need to worry about Jourdan Lewis
Lewis, who has been with the Cowboys since they drafted him in 2017, is set to hit free agency in March. His immediate future remains a mystery.
"I might not be a part of this next year, so it kind of hurts," Lewis told reporters days after the Cowboys' playoff defeat to the Green Bay Packers, suggesting that coming back to Dallas is far from a guarantee for him.
With Mike Zimmer in for Dan Quinn, Lewis will be playing for his fourth defensive coordinator if he sticks around. Given he's a small cornerback (21st percentile height, 30th weight), it's always a question mark if a coordinator will like him or not like the fit.
But with Lewis, he might not give the Cowboys a choice. He's proven he's a solid cornerback in the slot and is physical enough to play nickel. As a player who needs to get his hands dirty in tackling, Lewis thrives.
Among the 75 cornerbacks with the most snaps, Lewis ranked 13th-best in missed tackle percentage, per PFF. In several spots, particularly late in the year, he came up with huge TFLs in high-stakes scenarios like near the goal line. Every week, Lewis was playing better football.
The good news about Lewis is that he's your CB4 no matter who goes down thanks to Bland's versatility, assuming Gilmore is brought back, as well. Since the latter could move outside in the event of an injury to one of the Cowboys' outside corners, Lewis would play where he's most comfortable inside while Bland takes on boundary duties.
On the other hand, if Gilmore isn't brought back, re-signing Lewis makes even more sense so the Cowboys can leave Bland and Diggs on the outside. In either scenario, running it back with Lewis would be wise.
In 2021, Lewis signed on for a three-year, $13.5 million contract plus incentives. Chances are he could land in Dallas with a short-term deal this time.
